Boldi Köhnken-Máté’s Post

Black Friday isn’t a campaign. It’s a stress test. For DTC brands, BFCM isn’t just a weekend, it’s the moment that reveals how ready your store really is to grow. The brands that win every year don’t rely on luck or discounts. They rely on structure, preparation, and calm execution. We gathered everything we’ve learned into one guide: The Brancoy Black Friday & Cyber Monday Playbook It covers how to: ▫️Build a BFCM strategy that supports year-round growth ▫️Optimize your store and data before the traffic spike ▫️Automate marketing and drive conversions under pressure ▫️Keep momentum after the campaign ends This isn’t a checklist. It’s a mindset. Move once. Optimize continuously. Download the playbook throug the link in the comments!

The Discount Dilemma: Rethinking BFCM for Long-Term Growth As brands gear up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s easy to get swept up in the noise — but are deep discounts really driving long-term value? Our latest blog breaks down the culture, psychology, and real cost of discount-driven marketing — and how to build a strategy rooted in brand, not bargains. 💡 Learn how to: • Lead with storytelling instead of slashing prices • Reward loyalty over volume • Turn short-term sales into lasting relationships 👉 Read the full post: https://lnkd.in/eseUr8Rb #BFCM #eCommerceStrategy #Shopify #BrandGrowth #BlackFriday #ShopifyAgency

"It’s not about abandoning discounts altogether — it’s about using them strategically and keeping your brand’s story front and center." -Mick McCarthy Chief Design Officer @ Bear A great read from a great leader. BFCM has it's place, but don't let it define your identity as a brand... Unless you sell socks and underwear then gimme that 40% code.

My answer was: "you don't have to do any of that!”… I was talking to a client recently who said: - "We don't want to do the same things other brands do." My response?  - “Perfect! Because you don't have to.” When you run a DTC brand, you have something most companies don't: freedom. Take Black Friday and Cyber Monday, for example. Everyone expects the same playbook: ◻️ Slash prices ◻️ Limited-time offers ◻️ Create urgency with countdown timers But here's the thing - you don't have to do any of that. Instead, you can use these moments to reinforce your brand values. To make a statement about what you stand for (or against). To connect with your customers in a way that's authentic to who you are. Maybe that means: ✅ Creating a special product bundle available for a limited time ✅ Making a presale of upcoming products ✅ Offering complementary products as additions instead of discounts ✅ Communicating your values through a campaign that goes against the grain The point is: YOU make the rules. Your only responsibility is to your customers - not to industry expectations or what competitors are doing. If your brand is built on values and genuine communication, don't try to compete in a game designed for brands with a completely different strategy. Make your own game. Play by your own rules. As long as your customers are good with it (and they will be, if it's aligned with why they chose you in the first place), you're winning. That's the advantage of having your own DTC store. So go ahead - be creative, be authentic, and do things the way you want them to be done. Not the way the market tells you to. Are you trying to play by your own rules?

🔔 BFCM is coming fast and there's obviously no "winging it." But how do you get ahead of planning? I just dropped a piece with Klaviyo on 6 critical last-minute tasks to lock in big wins for Black Friday / Cyber Monday. This is the stuff that separates the teams that scramble vs. the teams that dominate. What you’ll walk away with: - How to handle discount logic in flows without breaking everything - A quick re-engagement play for lapsed BFCM buyers - A strategy for “low spend” buyers that actually scales - Why you might turn off Smart Sending during the sale - How to sync up channels (email, SMS, push) so you hit peak moments - Why you should schedule everything now so you can actually respond instead of react If you’re running an ecommerce brand or helping clients with email/SMS revenue, this is your survival checklist. Don’t leave revenue on the table! [Link to the article in comments]

Is Black Friday / Cyber Monday only about hefty discounts? Not quite. For growth-focused brands, Black Friday is more than a race to the bottom – it’s an opportunity to acquire new customers while buyer intent is at its peak. Slashing prices at the last minute isn’t a strategy. But planning ahead with an awareness campaign could be your biggest advantage, helping you drive customer acquisition at a lower cost. Read Conor’s thoughts on how to approach Black Friday / Cyber Monday strategically and turn the season into a smart acquisition moment: https://hubs.li/Q03Q-9jd0 #BlackFridayCyberMonday #RetailMarketing #AcquisitionStrategy #BFCM

Remember when Black Friday was just… Friday? When I started in marketing, the rush began at dawn one day. Then it became Black Friday + Cyber Monday weekend. Then “Cyber 5.” Then “Cyber 12.” Now, I start seeing Black Friday ads on October 1st. At this rate, we’ll be running “early access” promos right after Labor Day. The truth is, the line between “holiday shopping season” and “year-round sale season” keeps getting blurrier. While it’s tempting to start early, early promos can backfire, training your customers to wait for discounts instead of buying at full price. The real question for marketers isn’t how early can we start, but how early should we start? Brands that win tend to do two things well: 1. Use October for list growth, testing, and engagement to drive demand 2. Make peak offers feel truly exclusive when they drop, to capture the demand they built earlier Because if every day feels like Black Friday, no day does. But if nobody knows about you before Black Friday Sales begin, you'll get lost in the shuffle.

💡Steal this Black Friday/Cyber Monday idea before your competitors do! BFCM isn’t the time to treat your customers the same. Your VIP customers — the ones who buy often, engage with your content, or refer others — shouldn’t be stuck in the same noisy blast as everyone else. Now’s the time to tag and treat them differently. Look for your most loyal folks: 💬 The ones who DM you for product advice 🛒 The ones who’ve checked out more than once this fall 💌 The ones who open (and click!) nearly every email you send Then roll out the red carpet: 🎁 Give them first dibs on your sale before it’s public 📱 Text them something personal (not a mass message) ⚡️ Offer an exclusive bundle or bonus they can’t get anywhere else Your VIPs don’t want to battle inbox chaos or website crashes. They want to feel seen. (*Most* of your customers want this!) So before you launch your #BFCM strategy, make sure your best customers don’t get lost in it. Because how you treat them this holiday season could decide whether they’re still with you next year. 👀 #CX #BlackFriday #CyberMonday

Q4 is almost here. Are you ready for Black Friday & Cyber Monday? Here’s a 5-point checklist to complete by the end of October to give your brand the best chance at a profitable peak season: → Test your top-performing creative Refresh ad assets and identify your winners early. → Audit paid media campaigns Ensure budgets, audiences, and bids are ready to scale. → Review your landing pages Optimise copy, visuals, and mobile experience to boost conversion. → Set up retention flows Email & SMS sequences for post-purchase and reactivation campaigns. → Plan logistics and inventory Confirm fulfilment, shipping, and stock for peak season demand. These steps are just a taste of what’s in our Q4 Playbook, packed with actionable insights for DTC founders and growth teams. Download link in comments 👇

Remember when Black Friday was just one day? Then it became a weekend. Then Cyber Monday joined the party. Then it stretched into “Cyber Week.” Now… We’re looking at a 45-day sales season. Brands, especially CPG, are already sending: - “Sneak Peek” Black Friday drops - Early access codes - VIP-only pre-sales - “Beat the rush” reminders And it’s still October. Consumers have been trained to wait for discounts. So brands are responding by moving earlier to: - Get ahead of inbox competition - Avoid being buried in the Friday chaos - Capture dollars before wallets get tight - Spread fulfillment + warehouse strain - Maximize Q4 revenue (at better margins) It’s a season-long marathon.